I Never Said I Didn't Care
by bntjammer
Summary: Kaiba and Tea are stuck in Noah's virtual reality by themselves, separated from their friends and family. So will Kaiba ditch Tea to find his brother? Or save her from the fears that surround them both while they search for the others? T for language. One Shot! Kaiba X Tea


**Hey everyone,**

**So while looking for inspiration to break my writer's block for my other fic, I was re-watching some YGO episodes online. And I got inspired to write this one shot. **

**-B**

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Summary: Seto Kaiba and Tea Gardner are stuck in Noah's virtual reality by themselves, separated from their friends and family. So will Kaiba ditch Tea to find his brother or save her from the fears that surround them both while they search for the others?

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**This is obviously set in Season 3, but obviously changes the plot and timeline from the show, bear with me! Haha. This takes place right as the Big Five start to separate the group. **

**I really tried to keep Kaiba in his true personality. But Seto Kaiba is extremely hard to get right! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh or its characters! **

"Dialogue"

_Thoughts_

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"**I Never Said I Didn't Care"**

**Tea's POV**

One minute, I was searching my friends' expression trying to understand the Big Five's threats and the next the ground disappeared from beneath us to separate us.

Everything went black as we plummeted into the unknown abyss below us. My circle of friends faded into the light above. I was now between Yugi and Kaiba. I was scared as any person should've been, but I tried to pull it together. I reached for my best friend but he disappeared into the darkness that was engulfing us, separating him from me like the others.

I turned my head to see Kaiba reaching for Mokuba, but he too was gone. Kaiba stayed falling about two feet to my left. Kaiba's eyes actually held fear and shock. I reached out for his arm. As I brushed his hand, he looked my direction and glared.

_Really, Kaiba, we're falling into a dark abyss and you're still too proud to associate with me? _After several long moments, he took my out stretched hand as we continued our fall into the unknown.

It seemed like we were suspended in time, not falling nor rising. Hours passed before something changed. Out of nowhere light appeared below us and we made contact with solid ground. I sat up immediately. Kaiba lay still on the ground groaning from the impact.

We were in the middle of a field. I could see a tree line about a mile or so to our north with mountains far beyond them and a lake lied only a few hundred yards to our west. The wind blew and the smell of wild flowers and pine needles filled the air. Kaiba rubbed his head and sat up as well. I sighed, if this were any other circumstance, I would be in heaven.

"Where the hell am I?" Kaiba said standing up then looking down at me.

"Gardner?" he shook his head.

"Great, this must be my own personal circle of hell, a field full of flowers and the cheerleader being the only person here. Just fucking great" he said in that cold sarcastic tone of his.

"I ain't too thrilled about it either Kaiba. But guess what this is just another part of Noah's sick and twisted game. So let's suck it up so we both can get the hell out of here" I said walking towards the lake.

"Where are you going?" he asked, was that curiosity?

"To the lake, Survival 101, find water"

"None of this is real. We won't need anything" he snorted.

_It ain't real? Well a nice slap across the face will change his tune. _

"Well if this isn't real then you shouldn't feel this!" I said catching him off guard and making contact.

"You little..." he looked pissed but I just smirked. It honestly felt good to slap Kaiba for all the crap he's put Yugi through.

"If this isn't real, then it shouldn't have hurt" I said rolling my eyes and continuing towards the lake.

"Gardner" in just three strides he caught me.

"Kaiba"

"I need to find Mokuba" he said sternly.

"We do, but I need to find my friends too" I replied just as serious. _I'm worried about Mokuba too, but this will not be another all-about-Kaiba mission _..

"Whatever Gardner. Just keep up or I will leave you behind. I don't need your slow ass keeping me from finding my little brother" He said starting to walk away. I just glared at him.

_Is that his profession to annoy me and be a jerk_? While I was lost in thought, he was already a good 20 yards ahead of me.

"Kaiba!" I said running after him. About 3 hours later, I was sweating. _When did it get so hot?_ _This stupid duel disk isn't helping either. _(**A/N:** They all have duel disks as soon as they entered the world, not just when they duel) I saw a bead of sweat fall down Kaiba's face too. Thankfully, the sun was setting over the mountains and it was starting to get cool.

"Kaiba"

"What Gardner? I've been enjoying the absence of your annoying voice" he grumbled.

"We've been walking for hours and it's getting dark"

"And you're point is? We're not stopping until we can't see. We still have a little light" I shook my head and followed after him. About 20 minutes later, I tripped over a fallen limb and right into his back. He fell forward too. He cushioned my fall but I heard him make a noise, _was that a growl?_

"Is it dark enough for you? I can't see a damn thing Kaiba. We need to stop" I snapped getting off him. He looked up at me and scowled.

"Let's find a place to build a fire" he said rolling his eyes and continued walking but at a much slower pace. _I take that as a yes. _I looked around us. I saw several sets of yellow and red eyes around us scattered among the shadows and trees. I was right next to him and gripping his trench coat tightly out of reflex.

"Um, Kaiba, we have a little problem" I said hiding my face in his shoulder. _I'm not scared of the dark or the creepy things in the shadows…come on Tea, this is all just a game._

"Gardner, get the hell off...Oh. Run!" he said taking off into the night pulling me along.

"When we stop, get out of the way. Hopefully, summoning a monster will scare or destroy them depending on what _they_ are" he said as we ran. We came to a small clearing in the forest where the moon was visible and provided some limited light. _You're not the only one with a duel disk big shot! _I activated my duel disk and summoned Fairy's Gift. Kaiba summoned Vorse Raider. Several Insect monsters appeared and clung to Kaiba as if my life depended on. Our monsters destroyed them but everyone knows I'm petrified of anything creepy crawly, bugs included.

"They're gone Gardner" He said in a tone that almost sounded…caring.

"You can let go of my arm now" I realized my position and let go immediately and took two steps away.

"Sorry. I have a very large fear of bugs, real or not"

"Next time, when I say get out of the way, get the hell out of my way. Your stupid Fairy was too weak to summon not knowing what we were facing, I'm going to get fire wood. Think you can stay out of trouble that long?" Kaiba said in that almighty and sarcastic tone of his leaving me alone in the clearing.

I had my hand on my deck in case I got any visitors while Kaiba was gone. It even crossed my mind that he wasn't coming back. I prayed I was wrong. _Kaiba may be a jackass 98% of the time but at least I'm not alone. _

He came back about ten minutes later with an arm full of wood. I helped him stack it because he was OCD about it being neat. Then he somehow he started a fire using two rocks to make a spark. _Who would've thought The Seto Kaiba to be boy scout of the year?_

I leaned against a tree about a yard away from the fire and took off my duel disk. He just sat next to his fire and stared into the night.

"Well take shifts; we're never safe" Kaiba said coolly. It wasn't his normal harsh tone.

"Is 4 hours okay?" I asked.

"That's fine"

"Wake me when it's my turn" I said using my bag as a pillow. Surprisingly, I fell asleep about 20 minutes later to the sounds of a crackling fire and Kaiba's soft humming.

When I woke, the sky was starting to lighten far off in the horizon but the sun hadn't come up yet. Kaiba sat next to the fire looking at something in his hand. I strained to look and it was his card locket. I always wondered what he kept in that.

"Don't worry Mokuba, I will save you and get us all out of here" he shut the locket and I saw him shake his head.

"Mokie, you'd laugh if you could see me know. I'm actually starting to care about the Cheerleader. What the hell is wrong with me?" He said in a smooth soft voice that I had never heard.

_Kaiba caring about me? No way. He doesn't care about anyone but Mokuba. _

Then I realized he no longer had his trench coat on. Where...it was on me, spread like a blanket. I also realized that if there was even the hint of light in the sky meant I slept for more than 4 hours.

"You let me sleep" I blinked my eyes; I didn't even mean to say it out loud.

"No use both of us being tired and I'm used to little sleep..." his tone was soft. Then like a switch, he turned cold.

"Besides, I don't need your cranky ass slowing me down because you're tired"

"We got a few hours before it will be light enough to walk; why don't you try to sleep?" I said trying to lighten the mood.

"Whatever"

"And thanks for the trench coat" I said standing up to trade him places.

"Don't mention it, literally… I couldn't stand your chattering any longer" I looked at him and just shook my head. His pause however intrigued me. _Why does he always have to justify his actions that show he has a heart?_

"Geeze Kaiba it was a simple thank you. You don't have to back a good deed up with your smart ass reasoning. It's okay to be nice for no reason"

"Shut up Gardner. I don't want to hear another one of your speeches. Just wake me up when the sun's above the mountains"

He rolled his trench coat up like a pillow and fell asleep.

**Noa's POV**

It's been about 18 hours since my prisoners were separated: Seto with Tea, Yugi with Serenity, Tristan with Duke, and Joey with Mokuba. I tried to pair clashing personalities based on what I've gathered through Kaiba Corp Main Frame. However, Yugi and Serenity would work okay with any of the group so I just paired them together rather than messing up the other pairings.

However, things aren't working out like I wanted them too, especially with Seto and Tea. I can't having them get along. Sure Seto is still being a bastard but Tea is starting to see through it at times. This can't be tolerated this is my game. It's time to have some fun.

"Computer, turn the east forest into a waste land full of reptiles and insects, especially snakes and spiders"

"Changing landscape" it responded. I watched my screens and smiled as the other pairs were struggling to make it in their environments.

**Tea's POV**

I was watching the fire as it's natural beauty entranced me. Hours seemed to pass and the sky never changed. Then, I felt a tremor through the ground and jumped to my feet. I looked to my left and the scenery was changing. Trees that had full leaves, branches now lie dead and bare. The thick and soft grass seemed to die and turn rough and brown instantly. My heart stopped. I ran over to Kaiba and shook him lightly.

"Kaiba wake up, everything is changing!" he mumbled and turned into his makeshift pillow. I looked behind me and the changes were happening quicker and closer. I reached down to touch him and saw how peaceful he looked. His hair fell lightly over his face and eyes. He looked _sweet_. I shook my head. _No this is Kaiba._ I was about to shake his shoulder when a large black spider crawled up onto my foot. I froze and screamed! Kaiba shot straight up to see my eyes filled with terror. He examined me and saw the spider.

"Don't move" he said grabbing a larger stick. I couldn't move if I wanted too. I was paralyzed from fear. The spider moved up to my shin and my eyes widened further. I also began to shake. Kaiba took my hand to steady me and swung making contact with the arachnid. The spider went flying and he relaxed but I didn't.

"It's gone, Tea. You're fine" he used my first name.

If I wasn't still in shock, I would be intrigued. I was fighting tears. I had just come face to face with my biggest fear and if it weren't for Kaiba who knows what would have happened.

"You really are scared of bugs" he was making a statement not asking a question.

"I have severe arachnophobia. I was bit by an Australian Red Back Spider when I was little and almost died. I can't even see a spider without being paralyzed in fear"

"You were as white as a ghost Tea. I thought something had really happened" he scoffed.

_And there's the Kaiba I know and love._ Love? What?

"You Jackass, I have a serious condition and you are making fun of me? I can't believe you right now. The only god damn reason I came near you was to tell you the scenery was..." I felt a jolt and fell forward into Kaiba's arms, sending us both towards the ground.

"Changing" I said as he landed into a puddle of mud. I looked down at those brilliant blue eyes of his and there wasn't anger or coldness. They were warm and gentle; the color seemed physically lighter than before. _No! This is Kaiba!_ I stood up and stomped back to what's left of our fire.

"Tea, I shouldn't have...No. This isn't real. The environment just changed. None of this is real! Not the grass not the bugs and sure as hell not me being nice!" he started to yell at the end.

"Kaiba, I know you only worry about Mokuba, but it's okay to care about others. Hell, you're the biggest ass I know, but I still care about you. I know it's just another one of my stupid speeches as you call them but I'll just keep them coming until it sinks into that thick skull of yours..." His expression changed as I spoke. His anger seemed to dissipate, as it did, he drew closer to me.

I was yelling at him but then his lips met mine and cut me off. They were hard against mine as he pulled my body against his. His hands that were once on my shoulder now lay on the small of my back.

The scariest part was that I was enjoying this and found myself kissing him back. I put my arms around his neck and played with the tips of his hair. It was like touching silk. His smell was intoxicating as well. His balanced aftershave was mixed with sweat and smoke, it was simply mind-altering. His tongue brushed my lower lip asking permission to enter my mouth. I parted my lips slightly and soon his tongue was inside probing my mouth. My whole body was on fire just because of this passion from the least person I expected it to come from.

_Who knew Seto Kaiba, the Jackass of the year, was also the most amazing kisser. _

"I never said I didn't care about you, Tea" he said breaking our kiss. He gathered his trench coat and duel disk then started walking towards the mountains.

"You coming?" he looked over his shoulder with a smirk.

I just stared after him with my fingers brushing my lips.

_Seto Kaiba is human and apparently cares about me_. I couldn't help but smile as I grabbed my things and rushed after him.

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**So there it is! I hope you liked it : ) **

**I really tried to keep Kaiba in character, but in all reality, Seto Kaiba is probably incapable of being in a real relationship, especially with anyone in Yugi's immediate circle. So he was somewhat OOC towards the end. I am a very strong Seto and Tea fan and let's face it. This is a Fan Fiction site, so the impossible can happen! Sorry if you disagree. **

****If I get enough reviews, once I finish my other fic that I'm currently working on, I might do a sequel. **

**Let me know what you think!**

**-B **


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